Children of The Garden
by Decipher Philosophy
Summary: Rated M for murder. AuKiddie! Hannibal and Will who becomes best friends soon to part. A sad but not tragic ending.


A/N: A lot of people want fluff so I decided hey, it's something to do! But it may end up as a creepy fluffy kind of fic. If it is creepy, just listen to "If I Never met you" By Jon Secada and Shanice.

The more I read about a Snake's personality traits, Hannibal always came to mind. 0

Children of the Garden

Little Will Graham was holding hands with his father to his next new school. His father always had a tendency to wear a jacket, a hat and a pair of sunglasses to cover his scarred face. "Now Will, I expect you to be a good boy and make good friends." His father bent down to tie his son's shoes tighter so he wouldn't trip.

"What's the point? I'm just gonna leave anyway." Will frowned at the fact. His big vibrant blue eyes looked downcast through his glasses as his chocolate curls bounced by the wind. Yet his father smiled at him. One of the best smiles in the world to the little boy's eyes.

"Hey, it's two months and there's a good side to always making new friends."

"But not being able to see them more than I want to."

"Then the less likely they can get the chance to hurt you. Will, life is like fishing. You just don't know what you're going to get or what you might have lost unless you reel it in really hard."

"Dad, I don't get fishing metaphors." He pouted at him trying his puppy eyes to get out of this.

His father sighed. "What I'm trying to say is make the best of everything."

"Why didn't you say that in the first place?" Will didn't get why adults had to make everything they say complicated. His father chuckled ruffling his boy's hair and then kissed his forehead. "I'll pick you up afterschool."

"Bye." Will said somberly while his father walked away after waving a goodbye. The little boy continued to look at his father who always had his head down trying to make sure no one would stare at him while he was heading to the car.

He looked back at his new school to see that it was no different from the other schools he's been at. There were children running around playing and in their little cliques. The little boy had his paper to tell him where his class was. He entered it and was glad that the teacher wasn't the type to announce new students because he really hated that. Not like he'll be worth remembering before he left.

Will was a smart boy. Smarter than most boys his age because he spent most of his time reading in the library where no one would try to talk to him. Almost everything the teacher taught, he already knew the answer to.

But unluckily for him when it came to recess, the library wasn't open. He's been told by his teacher that the former librarian had been arrested and the school was now looking for a replacement.

Frustrated, he decided to just sit on the grass watching the other kids play on the playground. A bunch of kids suddenly grabbed sticks trying to kill a bug. The bug ran to where Will was, but one of the kids got to it in time, and beat it unmercifully until it stopped twitching. And then that kid just left to play again.

Little Will stood up to stare down at the bug who was in fact still twitching one leg as it was _still_ struggling to live. The bug wasn't even harmful at all. It was just crossing by and those kids just happen to see it and thinks its alright to hurt it just because they felt like it. Bugs didn't have that long a life but to end like this felt unnecessary.

"Excuse me, are you perhaps deaf?"

Will jumped upward having not noticed that someone was talking to him. It was a boy his age with dirty blonde hair combed cleanly who wore a suit unlike every one else who just dressed casual.

"Sorry..." Will tried to smile but failed.

"It was my fault for not introducing myself clearly for your attention. My name is Hannibal Lecter Jr. but you may call me Hanni if you wish." He held out his hand.

"Uhm, my name is Will Graham Jr. but you can call me Will." He took the hand which they shook for a moment.

"I wanted to ask you if you were alright, but I can see why you must be sad." The blond looked at the bug who finally stopped twitching. "They were really rude. My daddy told me that rude people are the worst."

"My daddy told me that cheaters are the worst." He awkwardly tried not to stare at the kid. "Nothing is worst than someone playing the game unfairly."

"Do you want to sit with me on the table over there? It's cleaner than sitting on the grass."

Will looked at the empty table under the shade of a tree. He nodded. The two boys walked over to it and then sat down comfortably facing one another. "Are you new here, Will?"

He nodded. "I just came today."

"Oh, where did you come from?"

"I just came from Greenville. I move around a lot with my dad. He's a fisherman. I'm only here for two months which is the longest I got to stay anywhere."

"What about your mother?"

Will was hesitant as he responded, "She..."

"It's alright. Not many of the children I know has both parents. I am very fortunate to have mine."

"You talk funny." Will commented.

"This is how I was raised to talk. My parents find it with utmost importance that I be raised as a gentleman. How about you Will?"

"Uhm." He slightly smiled with a small laugh. "My daddy just wants me to make the most out of anything."

"A wise man."

"Probably. But he uses a lot of fishing metaphors to get his point across, but he should really just say what he means. Adults are complicate to understand." Will didn't understand why it was easy to talk to this one. Usually, everyone who tried to talk to him were either very annoying or just gave up on trying to communicate with him, but this one made it so easy to open up.

"They are. Parents think, and don't tell them that I said this, but parents think that they are making their children smarter by using these metaphors, but they are helping form opinions, and opinions are not actual facts."

"You should tell my dad that, then. Maybe then he can stop talking about tuna all the time." He giggled while Hannibal smiled at him.

"Maybe another time when there's a parent conference."

That smile faltered and Will looked away to nothing in particular. "No, my dad is actually a very shy man. He doesn't go to meetings in school that requires him to be... sociable."

"How come?"

"My dad got into an accident before I was born. The truth is my dad slept with a random woman, and she left me with my dad since." The little boy didn't understand why all that he kept so secret were just spouting out like nothing.

"Unfortunate circumstances." Hannibal leaned in with his arms folded on the table. "But I reassure you Will that there's nothing wrong with you."

That made the boy look directly at him. "How would you know? We just met."

"We're having a delightful conversation, aren't we? And I feel compelled to know more about you." The boy smiled at him. Will felt his cheeks heat up. The bell rang.

"Oh, uhm, the bell." He looked at the other children running towards the door. He then awkwardly looked at Hannibal who was getting off the table. He did the same but with hesitance unlike Hannibal who did it with class to his eyes.

"Yes. I propose we meet for lunch." They started walking towards class. They had five minutes to get there.

"O-okay." Will tried not to smile but did so awkwardly. "What grade are you?"

"I happen to be in the third grade."

"What?! No way! I'm a third grader too!"

"I know. We're in the same class. You didn't notice because you were avoiding to make eye contact with anyone since you've entered. I also happen to sit right next to you." Hannibal smiled at the boy who was blushing from not only awkwardness but embarrassment. He held that embarrassed look until the teacher handed out work.

Will answered all the questions with ease and so did Hannibal, so the child in the suit decided to pass a note to Will.

The child looked at it and then at Hannibal who was just looking at his finished paper. He wrote brilliantly in cursive unlike his crappy baby writing. He then looked at the teacher who was reading a magazine. He opened the note trying not to make a sound.

_'I forgot to tell you that my mother works as a detective, and my father works as a therapist. He's a mysterious man, but a good father.'-HL_

Will was unsure if he should respond but Hannibal didn't like rude people so to spare himself from ruining his chances with a new friend for two months, he tried not to write like crap before passing it over to Hannibal.

The child read it with poised glee.

_'Yeah, my dad is a good guy, too. Besides the whole fish metaphors, antisocialism and can be mysterious, too, he's a good father, too.'-WG_

Hannibal responded and Will read. It kept continuing on.

_'Do you like music? I always prefer classical and opera.'-HL_

_'Um...not really. I don't listen to music much. Only at random places when people play their music. The only time I do enjoy listening to it is when my dad plays the piano. He's teaching me. Are you learning any new instruments, too?'-WG_

'I am learning the violin, flute, harp, cortina and the piano as well. I wish to learn many more before my golden years.'-HL

'Wow.'-WG

'I wish to please.'-HL

And so they continued until the bell rang for lunch. Will walked with Hannibal to the cafeteria.

"So your mom is really a detective?" Will asked.

"Yes. She solves cases on a daily bases. She's solving one right now, and she always finds the culprit."

"All of them?" Will asked curiously as they were getting their food.

"All except for one. Have you heard of the Chesapeake Ripper?"

"I did once but my daddy doesn't want me to know about him. He told me there are some people better off not knowing about."

"Then I'm not sure I should tell you."

"I won't tell! I promise!" Will then shrunk back not use to being loud. "I'm sorry."

The boy smirked at him. "It's quite alright. The Ripper hasn't been found since before I was born."

Will wanted to know more but restrained himself. Instead he frantically looked around and then at Hannibal who was sitting at an empty table. Will sat with him. "Aren't you going to sit with your friends?"

"I don't have any friend besides you right now." Hannibal responded.

"Oh." The child felt somewhat happy for that. He wasn't ready to feel like the new kid in a clique. "It must be lonely."

"Not all the time. I read books occasionally which helps soothe the boredom of being alone. We wrote about it to each other."

"You are reading the original story of the Hunchback of Notre Dame." Will remembered.

"And you had finished reading Moby Dick."

"Yeah, though I don't see myself ever becoming obsessed over anything."

"I thought so, too, until I discovered cookies dipped in chocolate." Hannibal revealed the contents within his lunch box of really complicated looking food.

"Are you sure your parents aren't chefs?" Will asked as he revealed his lunch bag of a wrapped tuna sandwich, peaches and apples with a juice box.

"My father loves to cook. He always invites his colleagues for dinner. Do you want to trade?"

Will's eyes widened. "Y-you want to trade?"

"Yes. All I ever eat is father's food. I've always been curious of how other people's food taste like."

"Okay then. Do you like tuna sandwich?"

"Never tried it before." They switched meals. Will looked down at the fancy food. "What's wrong? Do you not want to try it?"

"It's not that. I just never had the chance to eat such fancy food before! I'm not sure of where to start!" He tried not to salivate.

Hannibal smiled bigger than before. "Then I propose that you eat this one." And as the day carried on, Will had made a friend he never truly had before.

"So how was your day champ?" His father asked in the car driving home.

"It was good. I made a friend."

"Already?! That's great! That's great. So what's his name?"

"He calls himself Hanni which is short for Hannibal."

There was silence. "Did he give you his last name?"

"Yeah, I think it was Reecor. Hannibal Reecor." Will was smart but even he makes his mistakes especially since Hannibal Jr. gave his last name but the teacher called out for a different one. He became confused of why his father sighed with relief but knew the man wouldn't completely explain himself.

Hannibal Jr. entered his mansion of a home to find it empty. His mother was on a case and may not return home, and his father was in the middle of taking care of his patients or enemies.

"Good afternoon, Sir Lecter. How was school?" A maid asked as she curtsied for him, and followed him upstairs since it was her duty to greet and ask him things which was what a parent should've been doing.

"It was fantastic Ether. I made a friend."

"Ooh, a friend! I bet he's lovely." Ether commented as they reached the hallway, and another maid interrupted her to talk. She hissed in a whisper. "I told you no one is allowed in the kitchen when Dr. Lecter is out of the premises. That is why it is locked. Listen to instructions! The Lecters expect perfection!" And then added in a lovely tone, "And tell the gardeners that they are doing a lovely job in the garden!"

"Is the garden almost complete?"

"Yes, Sir Lecter, and soon you can have your little strolls. Maybe read your books there, too."

"Yes. And I suppose I can bring my friend there, too."

"That would be lovely Sir Lecter. I must return to my duties now." Ether left in strides.

Hannibal Jr. entered his room where it was all neat and tidy with books, paintings that he made hung on the wall, his own private bathroom, and a window looking out to the garden. He imagined about Will Jr. and then smiled a small sad smile.

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"A garden?" Will looked at his friend while they were having recess. They have been friends for the last two weeks since WIll had arrived, and felt like they practically knew everything about each other.

"The gardeners will be done constructing it by this week. It's a big place. It has so many flowers, ornaments, ponds, and even a maze. Father thought it'd be nice to have a big garden for me to play in. He did when he was a child."

"I've only ever been to fishing docks."

"Is it dreadful?"

"No. Sometimes it gets really crowded and smelly but others are clear and not very crowded. And whether its fun or not depends on what you do. The truth is my dad would bring me to zoos, aquariums, amusements parks and all but the dock is my most favorite place to be in. It's the only time he doesn't try to hide his face much, and we can just have fun. We'd fish or swim all day long until we see the sun set when he's on his day off. A burning glow of orange sinking into the ocean casting off all the colors in the sky and diamonds in the sea. But as it sets, my dad would cry."

"I would cry if I got to see something so beautiful." Hannibal admitted.

"You could." The boy in a suit looked to his best friend seeing him blush while twiddling his fingers. "I mean that you could visit if you want. If it isn't awkward. It's my first time and you don't have to if you don't want to. I mean..." Will's face was flushed red and looked like he was about to cry from embarrassment.

"I'd love to."

"Huh?"

Will looked to him seeing the boy smile brightly at him. "I said I'd love to. I also want you to come to my house to play at my garden. It's not much of a view, but I'd appreciate the company."

They stared at each other. Will felt himself smiling. "I-I'd like that too."

"Hanni and Will sitting on a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G! First comes love! Then comes marriage! And then they have a baby!" The kids teased.

Will glared at them.

"That is incorrect." Hannibal stated. "Gay men can't get married in this state."

"Is that what you're angry about?!" The glasses kid couldn't help shouting.

"Of course. Kids these days should understand political things. No wonder this country is doomed. They're own children don't even understand the fundamentals of how it works in order to improve it!" Hannibal crossed his arms pouting like an actual child.

Will now realized that he was a kid. He forgot because Hannibal was always so mature but now he was acting all cute and childish even if it wasn't a childish subject. The boy couldn't help but laugh.

"I don't understand what's so funny!" Hannibal felt insulted.

Will controlled his laughter. "I just remembered that we're only nine!"

"I still don't get it!"

"We keep having these mature conversations that I forgot we were just kids. I feel like we're old men who forgot to tell what a joke is."

"That's absurd. I know what a joke is. I just don't find theirs all that much to laugh about."

"You can visit my house this weekend if you're not busy with your other classes." Will smoothly changed the subject.

"I have piano classes but I can reschedule it. When would you like me to come?"

"It'll be my dad's day off on Saturday so come by any time you like. We're mostly likely going to be fishing or something."

"Okay."

Days passed and the two have been planning how it'd go exactly on Saturday so they can do as much activities with each other. Hannibal Jr. had a list of everything he had to bring, and Will Jr. held the list of everything they're going to do accordingly and still have fun!

When Saturday came, Hannibal arrived at the dock in a limo where Will and his father was. It was a clear sunny day and the dock was filled with boats aligned at the side of the dock floating on the crystal blue water.

He exited after his chauffeur opened the door, and waited until his chauffeur gave him his bag and other equipment.

"Hanni!" Will ran over to him with his father walking behind him. The man wore what fishermen would normally wear along with sunglasses and a bandana to cover a majority of his face. "Daddy this is Hanni. Hanni. Daddy."

"It's nice to finally meet you. My son has told me a lot about you. Practically everything you tell him each day."

"Dad!" Will blushed embarrassingly.

"I also do the same with my maid, Ether. I'm also thrilled to be able to meet you, too, Mr. Graham." He held out his hand which the man shook.

"Now that we know each other. Let's go Hanni!" He grabbed the male's hand and pulled him towards their destination. Will's father shook his head chuckling and took the boy's bags towards the dock.

Will's father spent the day silent while he listened to the funny conversations between the two boys. It was funny because they were talking about political or historical things. They were also discussing about the fine arts which Will wasn't really familiar with but Hannibal was happy to explain, and their commentary on the books they could've both read while giving suggestions to read others. These weren't normal conversations between two nine year old boys, but he was glad someone could really communicate with Will Jr. other than him.

The two of them than decided to go for a swim, but to Hanni's shock, Will just stripped himself to his underwear and jumped in.

"Shouldn't you be wearing appropriate swim wear?" The groomed child questioned.

"It's fine as long as it's light but doesn't reveal anything."

"Do you perhaps have a change of underwear? You could get a cold!" He warned since he did have a doctor for a father.

"It's alright! I'll use the towel as a blanket! And I already put on waterproof sunblock that's over 70% of SPF if you're anymore worried!"

"I was just trying to be helpful! It's also my first time you know!"

"Swimming?"

"No! Having to become worried over a friend because he didn't wear proper swimwear!"

Will Jr. smiled at him. His dad was trying not to laugh that he folded his lips and breathed in deeply through his nose. "Just hurry and put on your swim suit!"

"I'll be back. You better not drown on me!"

"I won't!" When Hannibal was finally out of ear shot, both Grahams laughed. Hannibal came back from the dressing room in what appeared to be a speedo. "You call that appropriate?!"

"It's what real swimmers wear to increase their speed." Hannibal dived in perfectly like a dolphin and then raised up. "I bet I can swim all the way to that buoy and back before you can."

"Try me!"

The two boys swam with their best and went on three times to only come up with a tie. Although someone decided to throw their boxers onto the dock before the second round.

"Alright boys, out of the water." Will's father told them. Both boys got out, and the man wrapped them with their towels.

"I still think your insane for swimming naked. What if someone saw you?"

"Then they have something interesting to tell back home." The two decided to sit down with the legs dangling.

"Don't you have any shame? Honestly, at school, you were too scared to even remove your glasses to wipe it because you're afraid someone will catch you."

"That's because it's just you here." Will confessed.

"And me." Will's father add in.

"And daddy." The boy added.

"How come?" Hannibal wanted to ask.

Will Jr. was silent so his daddy spoke for him. "Because the Graham's have a special ability. We can feel pure empathy for everyone."

"Pure empathy?" Hannibal was in awe.

"Yup. When someone does something, we are able to empathize with their emotions and understand their motives. It's kind of like a curse because the more you empathize with someone, the more likely you may be consumed into their emotions that you may become them."

"So you avoid people because you're afraid of becoming to close. Afraid that you'll discover the dark side of them." Hannibal looked down at the water feeling a small sense of panic.

"I guess that's why I was able to talk to you so easily." Will Jr. finally said. "Because I knew you were lonely. That you wanted to find a friend like me. Even if it was for a _short_ while."

"I'd keep you here if you could. You know that Will."

"Sure dad."

Hannibal Jr. was silent. His mind looked back to the times he spent with his father.

_The day he found him removing the organs of someone alive at their old mansion. It was the man that just had dinner with them last night._

_"Father?" The seven year old showed himself a little frightened._

_"Oh, hello son. Just finishing business as usual. Go accompany your mother. She's tired from a long day's of work and appreciate your company." His father told him._

_"Isn't this man your friend?" The boy remembered the two even spoke like great friends._

_"He was but he's now an obstacle because he knew too much. You can't trust anyone, but your family. Friends are only temporary. Family is forever."_

_"Is this how all your friends end up? As our food?" Hannibal Jr. stared down at the man slightly conscience but still aware and breathing._

_"Not all, but they will for a short while as long as they're edible."_

"Hannibal?"

The child woke up from his thoughts and look to his 'friend'. "Sorry. Looks like I also go deep in thought, too."

"It's alright."

And then, suddenly Hannibal Jr.'s rod went wild. The children immediately caught the rod. "I'll pull! You reel!" Will Jr. said and they worked, but they were almost pulled in.

Will's father helped in on the pulling, and Hannibal Jr. reeled in with all his might. "Come on! You can do it!" The man cheered.

And then they caught it. It was a big salmon. "We did it! Look Hannibal! You caught it!"

"We caught it." The nine year old child corrected. He looked at Wil's father to notice something. "Your bandana fell off." The man's hand immediately went to his mouth. "It's alright. I have nothing against stars." The man slowly removed his hand. Hannibal smiled and the man smiled back ruffling the boy's wet hair.

They had lunch after the excitement, and the day continued with the sunset Will promised to see. It was exactly as Will said. The orange sun left leaving colors of pink, blue and purple in the sky soon to be consumed by the darkness while it dazzled the ocean.

They went home and Will's father grilled the fish they caught. "Hope it'll fit your taste buds because I make a mean-well, any dish that has a fish on it."

The child took a bite and ate it slowly savoring the taste. "It's delicious."

"See." The man shrugged having his entire face revealed. He felt very comfortable around the kid who didn't look at him with hesitation or eagerness. Just looked naturally at him.

Afterwards, the boys went to bed. Hannibal had his sleeping bag, but Will ended up taking out his own sleeping bag he'd use for his camping trips.

"You don't have to do that? I'm comfortable like this."

"But I wanna do it. Besides I feel more comfortable in a sleeping bag than in a bed. I tend to sleep walk." He rolled it out and straightened it on the floor. He slipped inside and then faced sideways to the blonde who did the same. "So how was it?"

"It was just as you said, but I would've won that swimming match if you hadn't decided to strip your shorts off like a ruffian. You cheated."

"What makes that cheating?"

"We had that competition to prove a point that speedos were better than boxer briefs."

"You didn't complain!"

"Yes I did! I was shouting 'What in right mind are you doing?' but you end up taking a head start without answering! You cheated."

"Alright, I cheated."

"And you said the worst people are cheaters."

"If they know they're cheating. I had no idea going naked would mean I was cheating, and I thought we'd start automatically once we said again. You could've taken a head start."

"You would've called me a cheater."

"Because I'd be acting like the child I am." he smiled. Vibrant blue eyes twinkling with mirth. Hannibal did the same. "I'm tired but I don't feel like sleeping."

"There's no reason not to stay awake at the dead of night."

"You'll have to return early tomorrow for your classes." Will reminded him.

"I actually rescheduled them too. I think I'd like to stay longer wondering if your father will make breakfast."

"Don't count on that. We'll just be having cereal because he has the early shift. The early bird gets the worm. The early fishermen gets all the fish."

"I believe I never heard that line before."

"It's an excuse my dad made up for disappearing in the morning." They laughed softly to not wake the man. "What about your parents?"

"I always see my dad in the morning and sometimes my mom. She might be at the other end of the state for a case."

"Lucky."

"Mmm. To be honest, I prefer my mother's company." He remembered what he remembered before of his father. Just a temporary friend for a short while.

"How come?" Will asked.

"To tell you the truth, my dad scares me."

"Why?"

"He's a doctor, and a lot of doctors can be scary since they deal with life threatening situations a lot. He's..." He remembered further of all the other people he has met and possibly ate. He understood why he ate them, and accepted it. He ate with glee but... "Like I said, he can be mysterious."

"Do you feel like you can't be safe around him?"

"No. I feel like he hides more about his job and won't tell me." Hannibal lied. His father practically told him almost everything. He was afraid of what he will be told next. "Maybe it's best that you don't come to my house."

"But I wanna come! It's not fair since you came to mine!" Will gave him his puppy eyes which were actually hard to resist.

"Fine then, but I don't want you talking with the other maids unless you have direct questions about my location or other locations like the bathroom."

Will found that odd but there couldn't be anything horrible that his friend could be hiding. "Okay."

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Will's eyes were so wide that it felt like they were about to bulge out. He knew Hannibal was a rich kid by all the fancy suits and food and only came to an ordinary school to observe ordinary people, but he didn't live in a mansion! He lived in a bloody castle!

He was escorted by the butler into the castle that held a renaissance theme. "I am glad that you made it." Will looked up right to see Hannibal Jr. standing at the top of the stairs. The child seemed to have groomed himself with the utmost perfection.

In fact, Hannibal Jr. had just bought the suit today, had a hairstylist come over and leave immediately, had the cooks prepare meals with his father's permission, had the gardeners show him of every corner and immediately fix any problems that could be fixed, had the maids make the place spotless, and music be played once WIll had arrived.

The place was spotless, music was playing, Hannibal Jr. walked down the stairs like a prince, and the maid's helped take Will's unnecessary extra clothing and the bag but the child wanted to hold onto it.

"Are you hungry?"

"Yes?" He actually ate lunch but he had room for more.

"Excellent. This way please." Hannibal Jr. led him to the dining room where it was filled with different really complicated food. By the smell, Will felt his stomach empty and growl. His mouth salivated.

"Wow! Can we really eat all of this?"

"As much as you want." They were led to their seats, and Will was unsure of where to start.

"I propose we try-" The nine year old child named and describe all the food before and after eating.

Will was so stuff afterwards. "I don't think I can eat another bite."

"Then let me give you a tour of the place now that you are full." The two boys walked around the place. Will was able to see the living room, kitchen, and almost every door of the magnificent castle that was either a bedroom, his father's private room filled with papers, cabinets and books, or a painting room or any room for any activity. The bathroom was also amazing that Will felt even shy to use the toilet.

Next they were in Hannibal's room. Will gaze at the painting of Hannibal Jr.'s family. "You painted this."

"Yes. That's my mother, and that's my father."

"And that's you." Will pointed at the child sitting in between his parents. His father standing in a well tailored suit with a hand in his pocket, and his mother sitting sideways with her hands on her lap like a lady but with an expression of a strong woman. "It's amazing. It's the first time I knew somebody who's capable of painting themselves."

"That's due to insecurity or lack of technology to get a picture to copy. I simply copied the family photo which you may have not noticed."

"Sorry. I wasn't much of an art guy. Do you have any more of these?"

"Yes." Hannibal went to his drawer and took out his sketch book. The two boys sat on the plush bed to take a look.

"Wow, these are amazing. So many details." The boy stared at the well made drawing of buildings, streets and people.

"My father once told me that using a scalpel cuts better points than a pencil sharpener."

Will continued to flip seeing more pictures of flowers, animals, places and even people including the latest ones of himself smiling. "These are me." He looked at them and saw a part of himself that he hasn't seen before. Then he stopped at one. "This was the day you visited."

The drawing was of him completely wet from swimming and sitting looking like he was having a good time. The next one was of him and his dad trying to pull the rod. The third one was of the sunset and then the next was dinner and then him lying sideways at night. "Where are you?"

"These are from my point of view. You were smiling a lot. You and your father."

"They look like they were seen with opened careful eyes." Will turned the pages more to see a tree house. "Where is this?" Hannibal led him to the tree house which was at the center of the maze. It was like a regular house with a large circular window view that they could both sit on to stare out at the view of the castle.

"Have you heard about the story between the Mongoose and the Snake?" Hannibal asked.

"The one with the couple who wanted a baby?"

"Yes but I made a version of my own. Would you like to listen to it?"

Will nodded.

_There was once a garden much like this but it was an enchanted garden where different types of animals could rome free. No one could ever be hungry. They only ate to enjoy the savoring taste of the fruits, vegetables or the sweet nectar of the flowers in the garden. Yet even with the peaceful atmosphere of never needing to feed desperately, other animals just felt the need to fill a void in their soul. Such as the Mongoose and the Snake._

Will and Hannibal continued to go to each others houses almost every day from after school to an entire day in the weekends. They got better in catching fishes and Will always caught the most. The glasses boy also blushingly started wearing speedos to have a fair race and it turns out Hannibal was better at swimming.

They were both into what turned out to be little and be different in so many ways yet don't quarrel about it.

_The Snake was mysterious and charming. Always knew how to lure in people's attention and be given whatever it wanted through false love and fear. All except for the Mongoose who wouldn't succumb to neither its fear nor love. It succumb to hatred which had eventually succumbed to war._

As much as it was fun doing different activities in Hannibal Jr.'s castle, Will always preferred to play outside in the garden as much as Hannibal preferred the dock's instead of other places for its beauty and it was mainly just them around.

_In the beautiful garden of red roses, yellow sunflower, green hedges and white daisies, blood was splattered upon their shade of roses darkening to black and white daises stained pink til the day they are decomposed as a stained existence._

_Why it happened? Curiosity, obsession and greed from a Snake for the Mongoose who with a heart for justice could not ignore. A yearning to fill in a void._

"There you go." Ether placed a halo of flowers upon Will's curls. It was a halo of red roses (love), yellow sunflowers (happiness) and white daisies (childhood innocence) with a vine (connection) found by the hedges near the gates. Hannibal who was looking for their ball came back and stopped to stare at Will who blushed.

"I look stupid don't I?" The glasses boy tried to save himself dignity, yet the other child answered, "No, it's perfect. Ether make me one two."

"I already have one made just for you Sir Lecter." She made him a halo of black roses (dark devotion), blue anemones (fading hope), pink carnations (pride) and purple heather lavender (solitude).

"Thank you Ether."

"You are welcome Sir Lecter."

And then Hannibal grabbed hold of Will's hand to play more until they stopped to rest at the tree house watching the sunset behind the castle.

"It's really pretty here, too." Will commented.

"Not as pretty as the one at the docks." Hannibal stated. "Will, let's get married."

"What?!" Will stared at the child with a dumbstruck expression.

"Sorry, I meant let's play marriage." Hannibal went back into his tree house where the sun's light could still be seen.

Will reddened like a tomato. "I don't think my dad would accept this. Didn't you say gay marriage wasn't legal here."

"It's just for fun. " He raised his hand.

Will didn't see what was wrong with that so stood beside the child and then faced each other. The light cascading half of their body as they held hands.

Hannibal did the preaching. "Dearly beloved we have brought you here in holy matrimony to unite Hannibal Lecter Jr. and Will Graham Jr. under the law of God and forever shall they love one another in sickness and in health. Do you Hannibal Lecter Jr. take Will Graham Jr. as your loving wife-"

"Why am I the wife?!"

"My treehouse, my rules."

Will pouted. "Okay, but if we do this at my house, you're gonna be the bride!"

"Of course. Now no more interruptions. The sun is almost gone. Now do Hannibal Lecter Jr. take Will Graham Jr. as his loving wife to hold and cherish forever in loving arms through the darkest and lightest days to never abandon in the time of need or want? I do."

"That's a little bit much."

"Are you unsatisfied Will?"

"No! Go on!" He blushed staring at their hands holding.

"Do you Will Graham Jr. take Hannibal Lecter Jr. as your loving husband to hold and cherish forever in loving arms through the darkest and light days to never abandon in the time of need or want?"

"I-I do."

"Then in the power invested in me, I pronounce you husband and wife." The sun set in the darkness and Will felt something soft on his cheek.

The glow in the paint of the tree house lit up displaying the garden but filled with animals separated in four parts of the four season and two suns for Spring and Summer and two moons for Fall and Winter. At the ceiling was the constellation. On the bark was the snake and the mongoose chasing after one another.

The two sat against the tree bark to stare at the beauty that Hannibal painted while still holding hands. Will lied against Hannibal's shoulder as he started to feel tired from a day's worth of playing. "I don't wanna go home."

The blonde child stayed quiet yet in his mind he said, "I don't want to go home either."

_When the Mongoose had finally caught the snake, they had finally exchanged words. "Well, if it isn't the Mongoose who will declare justice."_

_"You have caused enough terror in this garden! Everyone in the garden wants you to leave!" The Mongoose told the snake who just stared at him with its bead-like black eyes. It's tongue slithering out of its mouth._

_"What if I don't want to?" It questioned cooly._

_The Mongoose emitted a low growl. "Then I will force you."_

_"You know that won't happen. You only have two choices. Leave or kill me." The snake told him as if it was the most simple decision in the world._

_The Mongoose was silent yet he was pondering his choices. He knew the snake was right so charged._

Hannibal and Will were playing pirates on the dock. The blond child never felt so uncivilized as he was the English soldier and Will was the pirate. They'd chase each other around shouting obscene things and then laughing when one caught the other.

"Arrrr! You will never catch thee!" Will kept running until Hannibal tackled him down and then held Will down. He quickly stood up and placed a foot on the child's chest.

"Does thou thinketh me as a petty soldier?! I shall bring thou to thee court of Justice, have thou sentenced to death only to be missing from his jail cell the next day because thy hast kidnapped thou to have his vital organs removed and eaten as my main meal!"

"What?"

"What?"

The two boys stared at each other. Hannibal removed his foot. "I think I got too excited. My mother and her gory stories." Will stood up and dust the dirt off of him.

"Hannibal! Will!" Will's father called. "The limo's here."

"I don't want to go." Hannibal Jr. said somberly.

"We still have a few more days and it's Spring Break." Will Jr. told him.

"I should have cancelled all my classes."

"But you have an important show later."

"But you won't be there. You'll be leaving three days from now, but this is the last day because I'll be busy with my stupid classes."

"I can't do anything because it's my dad's job, but we can write to each other, and I'll warn you if I move somewhere else."

"You promise that you won't stop?"

Will took his hand. "I promise. I really really promise."

Hannibal smiled and Will smiled back. "You are a splendid wife."

"Shut up!"

"Ugh, rude."

They laughed and then heard Will's father call out again. Will watched Hannibal leave for the first time.

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Will was inside the car with his dad. "Thank you."

"Hmm?" His father looked at him.

"For wanting to meet his parents so I could see him one last time before tomorrow." The child smiled brightly at him.

"I'm only doing this so you won't sulk and look at me with your beady blue eyes as if I was the most horrible person in the world."

'I wouldn't think you were the most horrible person. Just an arse seems to shorten how I'd see you."

They laughed and the man ruffled his curls. "You spent too much time with that kid and now your being all sassy. I'm afraid of what his parents will be like."

"Hanni told me they were nice. You'd like them."

"Did you ever meet them?"

"No. His dad has been very busy these past few days. Something about a patient needing extra special attention."

"I see. What did you say his father's name was?"

"Ethan Reecor, I think." Will knew Hannibal Jr.'s real last name was Lecter but his family was under protective service, and prefer that Will didn't tell his dad because he wasn't suppose to tell Will in the first place.

His father seemed to be relieved again.

They stopped in from of the castle, and got off. Will saw Hannibal Jr. exiting the house. "Hanni!" The boy turned his head to see Will about to run off to him, but was pulled back. "Hey! Dad?"

Will looked at his father to not see his expression since he was wearing the hat, sunglasses and bandana but he felt that fear. He looked back at Hannibal Jr. who was surprised yet terrified as his parents exitted, too.

A beautiful brunette woman depicted just as Hannibal's paintings were. She was followed along with an older man with gray hair and electric blue eyes that looked at them with familiar eyes.

"Will get in the car."

"What? No!"

"I said get in the car!" His father opened the door and hauled his son in having his glasses fall to the ground. He got in and immediately locked the doors.

"No! Dad! What are you doing?!" The car turned around and Will banged against the window calling out to Hanni.

"I said sit down!" His father pulled him down and restrained him back with the seat belt.

Will was in tears. "I don't understand!"

"It's better if you don't!"

"Why?! What did he do to you?!"

"Nothing!"

"You liar! I saw him! You two know each other! What did he do?!"

"Nothing!"

"Is he the one who gave you, your scars?"

"No."

"Is he?!"

"I SAID NO! NOW SHUT UP!" Will screamed at his own son who stared at him like a monster. The monster he has always seen himself. "I'm sorry."

"He never got to tell me the end of his story." Will Jr. mumbled.

"What?" His father didn't catch that yet his son stayed silent.

There was silent even when they reached their home. Will thought that it was best to leave his son alone in his room while he packed everything for their trip tomorrow. He should've been more careful. Should've checked the boy's backgrounds and stopped them from getting any closer.

That wouldn't have worked. The only way to stop his son was shattering his confidence in making friends, and he couldn't do that to him.

After he was done, he checked the clock to see that it had passed four hours to pack all the stuff, put it in the car and schedule for a flight to the next place to get out of the place as soon as possible.

He knocked on his son's door. "Will. I'm sorry for what happened earlier. I'll explain once we're out of here. Okay?" There was silence. The man tried opening the door but it wouldn't budge. He stepped back and then lunged himself at the door to only hurt his arm. "WILL!" He took out his gun from his bag and shot the knob off and then kicked the door open. It was empty.

Everything was neat except for a smashed piggy bank. The man knew where his son went. He drove there at full force until he finally reached the place. He banged on the door to have a butler open it.

"HANNIBAL!" The man charged in.

The man came to the room from the stairs. "Why, hello, Will? How long has it been? What a fascinating amount of scars you have. My son has told me all about them."

"Cut the bullshit Hannibal! Where is my son?!"

The man now looked at bewilderedly. "I'm sorry but I don't know where he is? What happened? Did he run away from home?"

"Yes! And he came here! Now stop the charades! Where is my son?!"

"Calm down Will. I know we haven't had the best of times, but I'd never hurt a child."

"Oh, you'd never? What about your son? Surely he's at the age."

"Don't bring my son into this just because you couldn't watch yours!"

"Then tell me where my son is!"

"I don't know where he is!"

"Then where is yours!"

"He's playing taking piano lessons in his room!"

Will's father stared at Hannibal's father as hostility grew between them. "Show me."

"Alright." The two men walked up the stairs and Hannibal knocked on the door. "Son, I'm coming in." He opened it to see no one in the room but a record player being played. The man stopped it and then questioned a maid that was walking by. "You! What happened?!"

The maid responded, "Sir Lecter ended his piano lessons early to play in the garden, and hadn't come back yet."

"Why hasn't anyone told me?!"

"He told us that he'd tell you."

A gun firing off was heard. Both fathers ran down the stairs and towards the garden.

_Almost an hour earlier_

Will Jr. had escaped from the house through the window and took the bus towards the castle but stopped a almost a mile away to sneak into the castle through the garden's gate. He got into the tree house and took the mirror in the place to use it to reflect light as a signal he hoped Hanni would see.

The child did and dismissed his lessons to meet with Will. The child with vibrant blue eyes and chocolate curls hugged the other. "I wanted to see you again." He sobbed. "I think my dad and yours met before and something terrible happened. That's why we left so suddenly. I'm sorry."

"It's alright Will." The other child held him. "But your father is right. You shouldn't be here."

"Not you too."

"Will, we can't be friends. We should have never been. It's best that you forget about writing me letters."

"Why are you saying all of this?" The child clenched the fabric of his jacket tightly as the tears poured.

Hannibal couldn't hold in his tears either. The two got on their knees still holding one another. "I'm sorry, but I'm scared."

"Scared of what?"

"Scared that you'll discover the truth and I have no choice but to-"

There was a sudden creaking from down below. A heavy creaking. Hannibal immediately locked the door and tried to push the book case. "Help me!"

Will helped him and they got it on the door before it was pounded on. Hannibal took will into his arms to be held at the corner while wishing they hadn't used the glow in the dark paint afterall.

"What's happening?" Will whispered.

"Don't worry. It's just one of my servants looking for me." And then the pounding stopped. They looked to the door waiting for a reaction.

A knife was stabbed through. Will covered his mouth as that knife continued to stab through the wooden door knowing that his friend was lying.

And then a gun was shot towards the opposite direction. Both boys leaned against the wall from becoming a target. Bullets continued to shoot.

Will clung to Hannibal as he was filled with confusion and fear. "Make it stop!" He sobbed in a hissed whisper.

Feeling guilty, Hannibal made Will let go. "Stay here." He ordered before running towards the window and grabbing a rope that was attached to the floor only to shorten it by wrapping it around a lamp that leaned against the window as Hannibal climbed down a bit and then jumped for the tire swing that was installed. He got to the ground and began running.

Thunders of bullets could be heard, and then there was silence. Will looked out the window but everything was dark. He felt so scared and confused but he knew he shouldn't have let Hannibal go. Surely someone should've heard the shooting and would've came to rescue them in time.

Unable to let his friend do this alone, he grabbed for any kind of weapon yet what he found to be useful was a flashlight, ball and a paintbrush which he stuck in his pocket. He unwrapped the lamp and then slid down the rope to find Hannibal before the man did.

The killer was at a random place of the maze where the light of a lamp post was nearby.

"Hey brat! Where are you?! You think your precious daddy can save you!" He had his bullets fired to the sky. "Your daddy fucking eats humans! Humans! Wanna know how I know? Because I caught him one night! I saw him killing a teenage girl in the forest while I just happen to be walking! I couldn't believe my eyes but it came so clear to me! My destiny is to kill your father! And maybe once I'm done with you and your father, I'll give your mother a night she will never forget! Probably your little friend in the tree house too! I saw him going in there! I thought about having my way with him before you came, but I thought I'd get myself in the mood first! Maybe I should feed him your parts before I fuck that little piece of shi-"

The man stopped when a scapel was thrusted into his knee having him bend. He shot randomly yet was caught by the chin and needles were punctured into him. He was still alive but paralyzed. The child turned him on his back and leaned his head against a convenient bench.

"You should've known better than to threaten the son of a professional serial killer." He sliced the belly revealing its insides. "My father always told me that rude people do not deserve the organs that work to keep them alive. We eat their organs to disgrace the dead. Which part should I eat first?"

A ball dropped. The child turned to Will who had used his flashlight to reach them but turned it off once he found the man. The blue-eyed child was suppose to hide until the man disappeared so he'd continue but after everything he has heard, he stared at his friend with bloody hands.

Hannibal Jr. immediately backed away from the body and tried to calmly reason with his friend. "Will, I was only joking. I just wanted to scare him because he said awful things." He took a step forward and his friend took a step back shaking his head as he cried. His shaky mouth silently saying, "No."

Will felt empathy and knew that the boy was lying. Hanni knew this was the end.

"DADDY!"

"WILL!" Will's father ran towards him and took him into his arms. The boy clung to his father lying his eyes on the curve of his neck to no longer wanting to see.

Hannibal's father saw what his son had did. He smiled approvingly while Will's father didn't look at him at all. Just whispered to his son that they were leaving once and for all while walking away.

_The two creatures fought with all their might yet they both died that day. The Mongoose killed the snake with it's bare jaws but it had died from the snake's venom. The garden was in peace._

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_Months Later_

Hannibal Jr. was playing the piano. A piece that Will Jr. loved to listen to. His father entered his room with a small box and an envelope.

"Son, this was mailed to our old address and there's no return address but I can assure you that it is safe. And you should know that your friend Will is doing nicely with therapy after the episode a night ago. I'll just put this here." He left.

Hannibal Jr. continued to play the piano until the end, and then opened the letter.

_Dear Hanni,_

_ I made a promise that I'd send you letters, but I felt scared because I know that part of you. My dad told me everything after we left. I'm taking therapy to calm myself and the therapist told me that it was good to let go of anything that was from that old life so I'm giving this back to you. I'll keep writing you letters, but I don't expect any from you back. A promise is a promise. _

_Your friend,_

_Will_

Hannibal opened the box to find the paint brush he didn't know was missing. It was kept it good condition all this time. He went to a new canvas and painted away with the brush.

Once he was done, he hung it up on the wall. When his mother came in, she stared at the painting of an isolated treehouse before a beautiful sunset.

The End


End file.
